It's Andy Fish!

It was a long time ago, but my kid best friend and I ordered a Monkee’s Album via the mail and then sat and waited the 4-6 weeks for it to arrive. I remember it vividly to this day because it took the full 6 weeks and maybe more– I think it missed the whole summer.

There was a mail order company in the back of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND called Captain Company–and what I didn’t know at the time and honestly I’m not sure it mattered, was that Captain Company and Famous Monsters were one and the same. They would have virtual catalogs in the back of the mag that was almost and sometimes more entertaining than the magazine itself. They too would take your money and then you’d wait forever for that Life Size Frankenstein to arrive. 4-6 weeks? How would he breath stuffed in a box?

Today that has changed. In talking to Number Two son who runs ROBO PICTO COMICS with his brother and a few employees I was noting the impatience sites like Amazon have created. We no longer expect to wait 4-6 days never mind 4-6 weeks.

Now Amazon tells you’ll get your item either tomorrow or the day after. In some cases you’ll get it today. When I was in Japan I was amazed that they offered 45 minute delivery.

And that’s where we’re going– if you want to be in the mail order business the customer’s reaction to your product is going to be dramatically influenced by the delivery time. A customer is far less likely to complain or return an item if it arrives quickly and in one piece.

Part of the problem for small businesses is that you are often at the mercy of the delivery companies and there’s really not much you can do once you hand off that package, but as a business owner you now have to pay attention to those delivery times and make adjustments if the company you’ve chosen to fulfill those deliveries is falling down at the job.

Amazon has also affected what people want to pay for shipping, and I’m as guilty as the next fella, I want to pay $0 and I want my package fast. Not always an easy accomplishment.

So as a business owner do you raise your price by 5% and then swing around and offer “Free” Shipping? Do you offer more than one shipping service? Allowing the consumer to choose between “slow and free” or “Fast and pay” shipping?
It’s a difficult balance to navigate and one each business has to make for itself.

The best advice I can give to you is listen to your customers keeping in mind that golden rule that only 1 out of 12 customers will speak up and complain. So give weight to any criticism and don’t be too quick to dimiss someone who complains as a difficult or unreasonable person.